House of the Dragonis centered on the Targaryen civil war that begins after Viserys I’s death. Key players gird their loins, and entrants vow to fight for them. Known as the Dance of the Dragons in lore, this war divides the realm between factions known as the Greens and the Blacks.
House of the Dragon- Season 2 brings back the old characters and breathes life into a few more from lore. New players in the show either choose between King Aegon II and Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen or are neutral as of Episode 6. The spillover of the Dance is inevitable, and it sets up exciting plots and the arrival ofnew characters such as Hugh and Ulf.
Updated on Jun 03, 2025, by Bisma Fida:House of the Dragon - Season 2 has added more intriguing characters to the mix. Almost all of them have chosen sides, except a few. The Dragonseeds, Hugh, and Ulf from lore are yet to declare for either faction, but Addam of Hull has mounted Seasmoke on Driftmark. It’s imperative to go throughthe new additionsto the cast and see what they add to the diverse, complicated, and dynamic world of House of the Dragon. This list has, thus, been updated.
11Addam Of Hull
Clinton Liberty Plays Addam
Much has been made of the Blacks' attempt to claim riderless dragons and utilize them in the Dance. In House of the Dragon season 1, Daemon Targaryen took stock of the dragons that the Blacks could take to war. In Season - 2, Rhaenyra’s eldest, Jacaerys Velaryon, comes up with a solution to claim a few unclaimed dragons:
There are those of our line who never ruled. Those married into other noble Houses, their children born with other names.
Jace questions the historians' claims that a dragon will only accept a dragonlord to ride it. To him, putting someone like a Mallister or a Darklyn on a dragon is better than defeat. While Addam the shipwright is neither, he is the illegitimate son of the Sea Snake/ Rhaenyra’s Hand, Lord Corlys Velaryon. As seen inHouse of the Dragon- Episode 6, Seasmoke zeroes in on Addam at Driftmark, and bends his neck to him.
10Alyn Of Hull
Abubakar Salim Plays Alyn
Addam’s brother, Alyn, is the more serious of the two, and the one Corlys Velaryon continually seeks out. He is credited with saving Corlys' life but wants nothing to do with the privileges that could come with his potential legitimization.
Alyn plays a sailor in the Velaryon fleet’s employ inHouse of the Dragon- Season 2, and Corlys names him his first officer. Alyn accepts the position, although with a little protest.
9Ulf The White
Tom Bennett Plays Ulf
Ulf calls himself a Dragonseed inHouse of the Dragon, and claims to be the bastard son of Baelon Targaryen. If true, this would make Ulf the half-brother to Viserys and Daemon, and uncle to Aegon and Rhaenyra.
Ulf and the Smallfolk of King’s Landing are under the Sea Snake’s blockade and trapped inside the city on Aemond Targaryen’s orders. He is a resident of King’s Landing (not Dragonstone as described in the books) and grows desperate with every passing moment. He mounts Silverwing in the Dance.
8Hugh Hammer
Kieran Bew Plays Hugh
Hugh plays a smith at King’s Landing inHouse of the Dragonand has a wife and a daughter. He is penniless because the crown failed to pay the smiths for their services.
Hugh claims the dragon Vermithorin lore and rides alongside Jacaerys to fight the Triarchy at the Gullet. Although Hugh and Ulf end up betraying Rhaenyra at the First Battle of Tumbleton in lore, it remains to be seen whether the character’s HBO adaptation defects.
7Kat
Ellora Torchia Plays Kat
Hugh’s wife, Kat, suggests that they leave King’s Landing and seek refuge at Tumbleton. When Hugh does finally agree, they are stopped at the gates, along with countless others who demand that they be let out. Hugh’s daughter is deathly ill, and his wife is desperately looking for morsels of food. Kat and Hugh face starvation and are on the verge of losing their daughter inHouse of the Dragon.
6Simon Strong
Simon Russell Beale Plays Ser Simon
Simon is the granduncle to the Lord of Harrenhal, Larys Strong, and rules the castle in his absence. Simon has very little at his disposal because Larys has left Harrenhal penniless.
Simon happily surrenders the castle to Daemon Targaryen in Season 2 because he is certain that Larys had his father, Lyonel, and brother, Harwin killed for the lordship of Harrenhal. Simon is Daemon’s friend and is by his side at all times.
5Alys Rivers
Gayle Rankin Plays Alys
Alys is a mysterious character at Harrenhal, and an acting Maester who serves in the castle because the previous one left in the middle of the night. As indicated by her last name “Rivers”, Alys is a bastard of the Riverlands.
Alys dabbles in potions inside the castle and offers Daemon a mysterious drink to help with his sleep. Alys' presence inHouse of the Dragonis intriguing, and she has already predicted that Daemon will die at Harrenhal.
4Ser Gwayne Hightower
Freddie Fox Plays Ser Gwayne
Alicent’s brother, Gwayne, appears as the most humane of all the Hightowers seen in the show thus far. He is currently on the march with Ser Criston Cole, whom he resents for replacing his father as the king’s Hand.
When asked, Gwayne tells Alicent that her youngest, Daeron, is a “stalwart” and good with the sword as well as the lute. Gwayne marched into the Crownlands earlier and is on his way to the Riverlands.
3Blood
Sam C. Wilson Plays Blood
An officer in the City Watch (nicknamed Blood) lets Daemon through the gates of King’s Landing inHouse of the Dragon- Season 2. He has immense respect for his former commander and hates the Hightowers for their treasonous act.
Blood infiltrates the Red Keep with the help of a ratcatcher. Together they slay Aegon and Helaena’s son, Prince Jaehaerys. Blood runs away with the child’s head and is detained at the Gate of the Gods. He ends up betraying Daemon to the Greens and meets his death at the hands of Aegon.
2Cheese
Mark Stobbart Plays Cheese
Though the ratcatcher (nicknamed Cheese) isn’t caught, he and his ilk are hung on the orders of Aegon II. Cheese leads the way and helps Blood breach the keep.
Since Aegon II finds it difficult to zero in on the ratcatchers in his employ, he orders the public execution of all of them. The innocent ratcatchers are executed publicly and this inhumane move angers Otto Hightower.
